Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-17

and the books in all the schools in the several
districts shall be uniform.
"The board shan also make and execute such by
laws and rules and regulations for the manage
ment OF tne schools as they may deem necessary
ana proper f9r the government Of the teachers and
gate AZ pleasure, and to determine upon, do, and
transact all business and matters appertaining TO
SAID schools, agreeably TO their bylaws and regu
| corporation.
They shall cause an annual examination of all
the pubic schools TO be held on or before the month
tims TO time appoint and shall make written
report TO the board Of aldermen and board
| OF common council annually. giving a full
account acc .,s o. their proceedings for the year,
OF pupils OF each sex, with the studies pursued;
ana make whatever Suggestions from time TO time
they may conceive proper for the better accom-
such Information as the two boards, or either OF
theLn may at any time call for.
SEC: o. The board OF trustees aforesaid. In ad-
dltlon 10 tne other duties prescribed by this act,
shall divide tn mselves into as many subboards as
there may be school districts for the exercise Of
practical supervision the public schools placed
under their Jurisdiction severally subject at all
times 70 the control Of The board OF trustees.
SEC 2; There shall be appointed annually by
tne DO rd Of trustees one male teacher for each OF
tne Dtstrict Schools, who shall be the principal
Thereon, and who, during his continuance in Office
suoooards OF trustees respectively. OF the school
nouse and appurtenanceS thereof, and shall take
aat care Tor us preservation" This sec
tion then proceeds to fix q schedule OF maximum
salaries, which, however, shall not "prevent the
board OF trustees rom employing teachers at .
IS rate OF compensation"
'sEc. IL. The board OF trustees shall annually fur
nisn 10 the board OF aldermen and board OF COM
mon council estimates OF the amount which may
oe necessary for the payment OF the teachers and
assistant teachers, for the purchase OF books and
stationary, and for all other contingent and neces
il viii be apparent that thess s are Affirmative
ana not simply advisory powers; that they are
powers Springing from an original and exclusive
jurisdiction, and were entirely harmonious with
subordinate or even concurrent authority. Yet
they are the Identical powers taken from the trus
tees and assumed to the commissioners by the
order or the Commissioners OF December 81, 1885
Such assumption, and all organization or acton
IN reunder, seems TO your committee to have been
clearly without The authority or law. The mon
eyed control of the pubic schools has been con-
eededly lodged with the District Commissioners;
but within the financial limits prescribed by them
tine entire executive management OF said schools
mas been cOnrded by law 10 the board OF trustees
IL.
AS TO THE QUESTION OF GOOD POLICY
involved In a transfer OF powers from citizens
school board to the political branch OF the District
Government, when the District Commissioners
Dy their Aforesaid order OF December 80, 1886, as
sumed to themselves the executive management
or the public schools, they found them thoroughly
OGganiIed under corps OF experienced and COM
ers were The result OF the care and management
OF successive boards Of trustees, who for eighty
people, and who had been responsible only to the
law and their Fellow citizens for the proper per-
formance OF their duties The local and political
governments for the tim. beng could appoint or
remove these trustees; but they could not other
wise lawfully revise or control their Official acts
Under the intelligent management or these sue
cesslve boards our school System was foStered and
developer 10 Its preset condition OF efficiency and
good repute.
analysis OF the various ana fOrciDle causes which
operated 10 bring about that result under the
school board system it is sufficient W emphasize
the TACT or Its existence when the Commissioners
changed the system In December, 1855. Indeed that
follows necessarily If the District Commissioners
correctly claim that the schools are ,ioU In good
condition: because the intervening period has been
too short to permit OF the development OF any
marked improvements into completed results I'M
der a new system.
II Is, however, represented TO your committee
that there marked differences In the operation
OF the Two systems that under the former system
the gradual promotion OF the general body OF
teachers according 10 value and duration OF SER
vice. was inaugu ated and maintained under the
direct supervision OF the entire board OF trustees.
the record showing an average or 275 visits to the
schools by each city trn5tee for each year from
1874 TO 1880 (Jhe period whose statistic, In this
respect we have exanined; but that under the
present system salaries and promotions are indiyi-
dualized and are practically subject TO the judy
HenL OF single Commissioner, wnO In connection
with his other pubic duties, can make but re-
Strcted number or visits TO the several hundred
schools Ia the District and hence can have but
limited knowledge derived from personal observa-
lions OF the qualifications OF teachers and the de-
tailed condition Of the schools.
In the one case 1t is suggested that the reward
OF merit was the product OF a general principle
which reached not only those supposed To possess
some phenomenal aptitude" but also the whole
body OF teachers In the ratio OF their respective
merits, and thus stimulated and encouraged the
entire corps.
In the otner case 1t is maintained that the neces
sty OF caring for other interests coupled with the
existence OF u one-man power VI recommendation,
naturally would lead TO favoriUism and indivi-
aaaizaton, Father than TO any general principle or
meTll0r10uS advancement
Another Illus Ration or the differences claimed
TO exist between the two systems was the even
Development OF the entire DJdy Of the schools
under the school board plan, and an excessive and
disproportionate development Of the higher grade
scnOoiS under the Commissioners plan. In the
opinion OF your committee, and having a proper
regard Tor the interests OF the higher grades the
weight OF power and attention should De thrown
In favor OF lower grade schools, where the educa-
ton or the great body OF our public school chill
dren commences and ends.
lt has also been represented to your committee
that under the former school board control full
Information In detail concerning the adinniatra-
ton OF the schools was printed In the annual re-
ports,Which were distributed among the people and
were accessible In that convenient form TO every
citizen, and also that at least a monthly report
Was made to each parent OF the progress and stand
Ing or his child IN the SchOsl While now the keep
Ing or accurate records appears TO be officially dis
c0uraged, and the printing OF annual reports or
the furnishing to the general pubic OF equivalent
Information In convenient form, has been discon
tlnued, as also In part has been the making OF a
monthly report to each parent
Your committee Is not unaware that some of
these general statistics are printed in the monthly
minutes OF the present advisory board OF trustees
Dut these minutes are not accessible to the gene
ral public In any practical form. An occasional
Citizen might obtain access TO them, but could even
then only ascertain summarized results upoa any
given point by himself making the necessary cal
cuattons, after tedious examination OF the MIN
utes OF all meetings for the entire year. This
dlnlnut0n In the volume OF accessible statistics,
and the consequent Withholding OF facts from the
convenient examination OF the general public, has
been urged upon your committee as o striking
proof OF the tendency OF the present system to
choKe up the channels OF public knowledge about
the public schools, and 10 dissociate the manage
nent OF the system from any Immediate cOnnec-
ton with and dependence upon the general mass
OF our people.
Additional points OF differences between the for
mer and the present systems have been pressed
with much force upon your committee. Such as
the arbitrary reduction OF the salaries OF achers
from the established schedule; the selection OF
schOOl-house sites without proper cOnsutat alton
with or reference to the convenience OF the people
whose children are to be provided for; the building
OF school houses upon very Objectionable plans;
the lmpOsslOilty or proper supervision over vart-
Gus expenditures OF public moneys such as for the
making OF repairs, &c; and many other impor-
tant suggestions OF similar character. IL Is im-
possible, however, for your committee to submit
detailed analysis OF all these various points; and
we win conclude this branch OF our report with a
brief reference TO the significant fact that the ex
penses OF the public schools have increased 20 per
cent during the past two years whilst the increase
OF pupils for the same time has been less than 10
per cent.
To verify this statement your committee took the
for hp two